JACK Midson was the AFC Wimbledon hero as he struck a second-half penalty to save the club from relegation.

Gary Alexander's opener had been cancelled out by Andy Mangan before Midson rolled home the winner to secure League Two football for next season.

Neal Ardley made two changes to the side that drew at champions Gillingham as Alexander and Curtis Osano came in for Mat Mitchel-King and Jason Prior.

Prior took his place on the bench for the clash at Kingsmeadow while there was no spot in the squad of 18 for defender Mitchel-King, Alan Bennett taking possession of the armband.

Fleetwood, with nothing left to play for this season, came flying out of the blocks and Mangan forced the first save of the match from John Sullivan within seconds of the kick-off.

Wimbledon responded with a spell of pressure and came agonisingly close to finding the opener, Alexander's shot blocked by Scott Davies and Midson scooping the rebound over the bar.

Dons fans sensed a goal was coming and skipper Bennett nearly provided it, however his looping header was cleared off the line by a Fleetwood defender guarding the post.

They kept pushing but met a keeper in inspired form in Davies, the Cod Army stopper showing outstanding reflexes to keep out a near-post Midson header in front of the Tempest end.

Fleetwood had been camped on their own 18-yard box for much of the first half-hour but they went close when Ryan Crowther flashed a ball across the six-yard box that was begging to be stuck away.

But for all their pressure, Wimbledon couldn't find a way through in the first-half and the referee bore the brunt of the fans' frustration as the two teams trudged off at the break.

Dons were hammering on the door again within moments of the restart.

Midson chased down a lost cause, picking up the ball on the byline, cut inside and smashed an effort against the bar before Harry Pell's follow-up shot was well-saved by Davies.

But cometh the hour, cometh the man, Alexander rising superbly at the far post to head home Sammy Moore's delivery and send the crowd into raptures.

The wild celebrations were short-lived though as three minutes later Fleetwood hauled themselves level, Mangan providing an instant response to leave the Dons with it all to do once more.

They had to climb the mountain again, and it didn't take long, the referee pointing to the spot when Robert Atkinson clumsily barged over Osano in the box.

Midson, so often Wimbledon's saviour, was the coolest man in Kingsmeadow as he calmly rolled the ball into the bottom corner to put the hosts back in front.

Wimbledon hearts were nearly broken when big defender Nathan Pond stooped down low to get on the end of a free-kick, however he steered the header wide and Dons were safe.

AFC WIMBLEDON: Sullivan, Osano, Hussey, Bennett, Balkestein, S Moore (Antwi), Meades, Pell, L Moore (Strutton), Midson, Alexander (Prior).

Subs (not used): Jaimez-Ruiz, Sainte-Luce, Yussuff, Long.

Att: 4,738

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